A half-century of production-phase greenhouse gas emissions from food loss & waste in the global food supply chain

Abstract

Research on loss & waste of food meant for human consumption (FLW) and its environmental impact typically focuses on a single or small number of commodities in a specific location and point in time. However, it is unclear how trends in global FLW and potential for climate impact have evolved. Here, by utilising the Food and Agriculture Organization's food balance sheet data, we expand upon existing literature. Firstly, we provide a differentiated (by commodity, country and supply chain stage) bottom-up approach; secondly, we conduct a 50-year longitudinal analysis of global FLW and its production-phase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; and thirdly, we trace food wastage and its associated emissions through the entire food supply were from developing economies, specifically China and Latin America -primarily from increasing losses in fruit and vegetables. Over the period examined, cumulatively such emissions added almost 68 Gt CO2e to the atmospheric GHG stock; an amount the rough equivalent of two years of emissions from all anthropogenic sources at present rates. Building up from the most granular data available, this study highlights the growth in the climate burden of FLW emissions, and thus the need to improve efficiency in food supply chains to mitigate future emissions.

Food loss and Waste Reduction as an Integral Part of a Circular Economy

“…The embedded GHG emissions of meat (poultry, bovine, goat, mutton, and swine) estimated by Porter et al (2016), accounted for 34-38% of all FLW production-phase GHG emissions, despite comprising just 3-4% of total FLW by mass. Song et al (2015) highlighted that although only 13% of food wasted in China was animal derived foods, it accounted for 44% of the water embedded in total food waste.…”

“…Porter et al (2016) have identified a 44% increase in global average per capita FLW emissions between 1961 and 2011-from 225 kg CO2e in 1961 to 323 kg CO2e in 2011. During that period, developing countries, particularly China and Latin American countries, produced the largest amount of GHG emissions associated with FLW, mainly from fruit and vegetable losses (Porter et al, 2016).…”

Comparative LCA of Alternative Scenarios for Waste Treatment: The Case of Food Waste Production by the Mass-Retail Sector

“…The increasing attention paid to FW issues is mainly due to its negative environmental, economic and social impacts [3,4]. For instance, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to the food wasted during the production phase were estimated to be about 2.2 Gt CO 2 equivalent (eq) in 2011 [5], while the costs associated with the wastage were around 143 billion Euro per annum in the EU-28 [2]. In this context, the reduction of FW and the optimisation of its management is a priority for the European Commission, which is working to achieve a significant reduction in FW by 2020 by means of joint actions, in order to obtain a minimisation of loss and waste throughout the whole food supply chain [6].…”

Post-harvest loss reduction : a value chain perspective on the role of post-harvest management in attaining economically and environmentally sustainable food chains

“…In a study by Porter et al (2016) based on FAO data, the GHG emissions from FLW in the global food supply chain over the period 1961-2011 were detailed for the relative contribution of FLW-related GHG emissions by commodity and by region. According to the study global annual production-phase GHG emissions associated with FLW more than tripled between 1961 and 2011 (from 680Mt to 2,2Gt CO 2 -eq.).…”

“…This is one of the conclusions from a macro-study on food losses and climate impact by Porter et al (2016). Efforts will have to be geared to acquiring data on losses and GHG emissions on the level of individual supply chains, in order to calculate the climate impact from PHM measures.…”